As I’m sure you already know, the Eastern Conference coaches have spoken and named Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton as All-Star reserves for the third straight year. In my latest piece for HOOPSWORLD, I get their reaction to the honor:
Hamilton echoed Billups’ sentiments. “It’s fun, it’s exciting,” he said. “I wouldn’t be going to the All-Star without my teammates. It’s great for Chauncey to be there with me, so it’s exciting.”
In fact, it’s only appropriate the two players are going together, considering how tied their fortunes have been ever since arriving in Detroit at the same time in 2002.
“We always said we’re a package deal,” said Billups. “We came into this town together and with big dreams trying to win a championship and be the best backcourt in the world. And I think we’ve done that.”
That phrase — “best backcourt in the world” — has been bandied around so many times around here that I rarely give it much thought. I still believe it be true, but who would you rank behind them?
I’d say ‘any LAL PG/Kobe’ and ‘Nash/and PHX SG’ are the 2nd and 3rd best backcourts in the league. I know both are Fisher/Farmar and Bell/Barbosa are two-headed monsters but to me the Pistons, Lakers, and Suns get the most production out of their backcourt. If New Orleans had a solid player with the resume of Raja Bell or Derek Fisher at guard I’d throw them in the mix of best backcourts on the strength of Chris Paul’s game.
San Antonio, if you take their backcourt as being Parker/Ginobili, could make a case for being #2.
As much as Walton annoys me with his excessive praise, I’d have to give the nod to Parker/Ginobili. It bothers me when he claims they’re the top of the backcourts when they’re not even a starting duo, but their combined production is as impressive as any other.
Sorry, but Baron Davis and Monte Ellis is a more lethal combo than Parker/Ginoboli. I’m telling y’all, these two seem to beat teams by themselves at times. I get to watch every Warriors game so I’m defintely biased, but I’m pretty confident in naming Davis/Ellis as the best backcourt behind Billups/Hamilton. I know that they haven’t won anything and all of that, but when these two are both having good games, it’s lights out. Besides, Ginoboli doesn’t start so I don’t count Parker and Ginoboli as a combo.
I must whole heartedly agree with WLM1, Baron Davis and Monte Ellis are (almost) as good as a backcourt can get!
Meh, Parker and Ginobilir are paired more than any other backcourt combination on the team, especially during the playoffs. Chauncey and Rip still edge by on the merits, but I don’t think any other team is particularly close. Counting a trio as a duo seems from the purpose. Here’s how I’d rank ‘em…
1. Chauncey/Rip
2. Parker/Ginobili
3. D. Williams/R. Brewer
4. Davis/Ellis
5. Kobe/Fisher